Glossary of Curling terms
Return to the listing by category to view animations of select terms.
12 Foot
The outermost ring of the house, 12 feet in diameter. Commonly colored red or blue.
Top4 Foot
The inner ring of the house, 4 feet in diameter. Commonly colored blue or red.
Top4 Foot Lines
Lines that run parallel to the center line at the edge of the 4 foot circle. These lines are not required so they are not found at every club.
Top8 Foot
The middle ring of the house, 8 feet in diameter. Commonly colored white.
TopAcross the face
A shot whose initial line of delivery is on one side of a rock and then curls past the center of the rock to hit it on the opposite side.
TopAngle Raise
A raise or raise takeout that must be hit at a precise angle instead of straight back.
TopAnti-slider
Slips over the shoe to cover up the slider and provide good traction on the ice. Same as "Gripper"
TopArena Club
A curling club that operates in an ice arena that is also used for skating. These clubs normally have a very limited amount of time to prepare the ice for curling. This can result in ice conditions that are very different than the ice at a dedicated curling facility.
TopAround the world
A shot where the delivered stone deflects off 2 or more stones resulting in the shooter traveling back towards the delivering end. Rarely called in a game.
TopBack 12
The potion of the 12 foot circle that is behind the tee line (closer to the back line).
TopBack 4
The potion of the 4 foot circle that is behind the tee line (closer to the back line).
TopBack 8
The potion of the 8 foot circle that is behind the tee line (closer to the back line).
TopBack Board
The barrier that is behind the hacks. The distance from the hack to the back board varies from club to club and can be anywhere from 1-7 feet.
TopBack End
The skip and vice-skip (or third) are collectively referred to as the "Back end" of the team.
TopBack House
The portion of the house that is behind the tee line.
TopBack House Weight
Throwing the stone just hard enough for it to travel to the back of the house. Often used when trying a light hit and roll or when trying to promote a stone into the house.
TopBack Line
The line perpendicular to the center line at the back edge of the house. When a rock completely crosses this line it is out of play.
TopBarrier Weight
Throwing the stone just hard enough to reach the back board, or barrier. Barrier weight is normally about 6 feet further than the hack since the location of the barrier can vary from club to club. This phrase is most commonly used by Scottish teams.
TopBehind
Being closer to the back line. Used in reference to the position of a stone such as "Our stone is behind the tee" or "Their stone is behind ours".
TopBiter
A stone that is barely in the house.
TopBiter Stick
A measuring device that is exactly 6 ft long and is used to determine if a stone is within 6 feet of the pin. Used at the completion of an end to determine if a stone can be counted for a point. Also used at the start of an end to determine if a stone is in the house making it eligible to be taken out when the free guard zone rule is in effect.
TopBlank End
When an end is completed and no stones are in the house. Often the team with the hammer will try to blank the end when they have no options to score more than a single point.
TopBoard Weight
Throwing the stone just hard enough to reach the back board. Board weight is normally about 6 feet further than the hack since the location of the back board can vary from club to club. See also Barrier Weight.
TopBoards
The physical barrier at the edge of the sheet of ice. As soon as a rock hits the boards it is out of play. Commonly made of wood in curling clubs. Arenas usually use foam strips frozen into the ice. Not all sheets of ice will have boards. Some will just have a side line with the ice continuing into the adjacent sheet.
TopBonspiel
A curling tournament that is usually played over a weekend. Bonspiels are a great way to travel and experience different curling clubs. Often food and beverages are provide to promote a fun social atmosphere for curlers to enjoy when they are not on the ice.
TopBounce
When a rock hits another rock and then rolls away from it. Also called a bump.
TopBrier
The name of the Canadian Mens National Championship.
TopBroom
Brooms are used to sweep the ice in front of moving stones by swinging the broom back and forth repeatedly impacting the ice. Usually made of corn straw. Brooms are no longer commonly used for sweeping but remain legal. Sometimes the terms Broom and Brush are used interchangeably when referring to a modern curling brush.
TopBroomstacking
Socializing with your opponents after a game. The term originates from an old tradition of both teams stacking their brooms in the house to take a break from the game.
TopBrush
Brushes are used to sweep the ice in front of moving stones with a back and forth motion in which the brush pad never leaves the ice surface. Sweeping reduces the friction between the rock and the ice which causes the rock to travel farther and straighter. The terms brush and broom are often used interchangeable to refer to a modern curling brush.
TopBrush Pad
The part of the brush that makes contact with the ice while sweeping. Most brushes are designed to allow easy replacement of the pad after they become worn from use. Brush pads are similar to golf balls since they can still be used when they are old and beat up but they won't be as effective.
TopBump
When a rock hits another rock and then rolls away from it. Also called a bounce.
TopBuried
When a stone is completely guarded by other stones. There is no direct way to takeout a buried stone.
TopBurn
To touch a rock with a part of your body or equipment as it is in motion on the ice.
TopButton
The small circle in the center of the house. The button can vary in size.
TopCalling the Shot
Making a decision on the desired outcome for the upcoming shot and communicating the plan to the rest of the team. Skips call the shots, sometimes with input from the rest of their team.
TopCashspiel
A more competitive bonspiel that awards prize money to the top finishers. All World Curling Tour events are cashspiels. Entry fees are usually higher then other bonspiels and may not include any food or drink.
TopCenter Guard
A guard that is on the center line. Commonly used by teams without the hammer to try to setup a steal in an end.
TopCenter Line
The line that runs down the entire length of the ice, connecting the centers of each hack.
TopCircus Shot
A complicated and difficult shot requiring a bit of luck to make. Often called out of desperation when there are no other shots available. Circus shots are often made by accident.
TopClean
Sweep very lightly to keep the ice surface clean and prevent the rock from picking up a piece of debris. When "Clean" is yelled out it often means the shot is on line and is going to be made.
TopClub
A dedicated curling facility. Curling Clubs commonly have from 2-8 sheets of ice. Most clubs are named for the city where they are located.
TopCome Around
A draw that is intended to stop behind a guard.
TopComing Home
Playing the last scheduled end of the game. The "home" end of the ice is the end closest to the club room and viewing area.
TopCorner Guard
A guard that is to either side of the center line. Commonly used by the team with the hammer to setup a chance at scoring multiple points while keeping a path to the button open.
TopCounter
Each stone that is closer to the pin than the closest opponents stone. At the completion of each end one point is scored for each counter.
TopCover
A rock that cannot be taken out because a guard is in the way is said to be "under cover".
TopCrashed
When the delivered stone unintentionally hits another rock causing the called shot to be missed. "We crashed on a guard".
TopCurl
Describes how a rock travels in a curved path down the ice. The more the rock curls the more it changes direction as it moves down the ice.
TopCurler
Anyone who curls. Once a curler always a curler!
TopCurling
The greatest sport on ice!
TopCurling Pins
Pins are commonly given out as prizes for bonspiels or club league championships. Curling clubs usually have a club pin design that represents their club. Club pins are often traded among participants at events where many clubs are represented.
TopD.O.D.
Degree of Difficulty. This statistic can be used when individual player shooting percentages are being tracked for a game to give an overall idea of the difficulty of each players shots. Typically each shot would be given a D.O.D from 1-5 with 5 being the most difficult.
TopDead Handle
When a stone doesn't have any rotation as it slides down the ice.
TopDelivery
The act of sliding out and releasing a stone. The main components of the delivery are the slide and the release. A curlers delivery is synonymous with a golfers swing.
TopDelivery Aide
An object that is held in the hand that is not holding the rock handle during delivery. Typically the same brush used for sweeping is used as a delivery aide however other more specialized delivery aides are available.
TopDelivery Stick
A device used to deliver a stone by anyone unable to crouch down in the hack and slide out in their delivery. One end of the stick is designed to fit the handle of the stone. You deliver the stone by walking out from the hack with the delivery stick pushing the stone. This allows people to curl who would otherwise be unable to deliver a stone.
TopDie
Used when talking to the rock usually during a desperate attempt to convince the rock to slow down.
TopDish
When the outside edges of the ice surface are slightly raised compared to the center of the sheet of ice. This causes the stones to curl more towards the center line and not curl towards the outside of the sheet.
TopDouble
A takeout that removes two stones from play. The delivered stone normally stays in play.
TopDouble Peel
A shot that is intended to remove two stones from play and have the shooter go out of play. Normally the stones removed with a double peel are guards.
TopDoubles
A variation of the traditional game. In Doubles Curling there are only 2 people per team. Each end starts with 1 pre-positioned stone from each team in play. One of the positioned stones is a center guard and one is positioned on the center line just behind the tee line. The positioned center guard belongs to the team without the hammer. Each team then delivers 5 stones to complete the end. No rocks can be removed from play until the 4th delivered stone.
TopDown Weight
A takeout played with less weight than normal. Commonly used when it is important for the delivered rock to stay in play.
TopDrag Effect
When two stones are very close together the drag effect may cause the stone to move at a different angle than where it visually looks like it will travel when impacted.
TopDraw
The schedule or time for a curling game. Also a shot that stops in the house.
TopDraw
A shot that is intended to stop in the house
TopDrawmaster
The person in charge of setting up the game times for any bonspiel, playdowns, or club leagues. This can be a very difficult task!
TopDump
Over rotation of the wrist while releasing the stone in a way that causes the stone to suddenly be narrow of the target.
TopEight Ender
When a team scores 8 points in one end. Very rare, similar to a hole-in-one but harder to archive!
TopEnd
A segment of a game. An end is complete when each team has thrown all 8 of it's rocks. When an end is complete the score for that end is determined. Only one team may score in each end. If there are no rocks in the house at the completion of the end then there is no score for that end. Games are commonly scheduled for 8 or 10 ends.
TopExtra End
If the score is tied after the completion of the last scheduled end an extra end is played. The extra end is played the same as the other ends. The team that scores in the extra end wins. Club leagues and bonspiels may have alternate procedures for extra ends at their event.
TopFall
When a spot in the ice is not level. A stone that is on a fall is prevented from curling normally and slides in the opposite direction as if sliding down a hill.
TopFinish
The amount a rock curls during the final 10-15 feet of its travel. If the ice has a lot of finish it means the rock curls more at the end of its travel than during the start.
TopFlash
When a takeout is called but the shooter fails to hit any other stones. Also known as a "Flyby".
TopFree Guard Zone
Any stone that is in between the tee line and the hog line but not in the house is in the free guard zone. The free guard zone rule says you cannot remove an opponents stone that is in the free guard zone until your teams 3rd delivered stone of the end.
TopFree Guard Zone Rule
The first 4 stones (2 for each team) of an end cannot be used to remove an opponents stone from play if that stone is in the free guard zone. This rule was adopted to create more scoring opportunities.
TopFreeze
A draw that is intended to stop as close as possible to another stone in the house. When a rock is frozen to another rock it becomes very difficult to take out.
TopFront End
The lead and second are collectively referred to as the front end of the team.
TopFrost
Under certain ambient air conditions a layer of frost can form on top of the pebble. This frost will buildup on your brush pad as you sweep and can also accumulate on the running surface of the stone. Often the outside portions of the sheet will have more frost.
TopFudge
When a stone travels over ice that has had most of its pebble worn down it may "fudge up" and slow down suddenly. Similar to a pick but not caused by debris.
TopFun-Spiel
A bonspiel where the goal is more about having fun than winning or losing.
TopGloves
Curling gloves have added padding for protection while sweeping. They may also be lined for warmth.
TopGripper
Slips over the shoe to cover up the slider and provide good traction on the ice. Same as "Anti-Slider"
TopGuard
A shot that is intended to stop in front of the house so it can be used to prevent a takeout of a rock in the house.
TopHack
The rubber blocks frozen into the ice at each end of the sheet. Located 6ft from the back line. Used to push off of when delivering a stone.
TopHack Weight
Throwing the stone just hard enough to reach the hack.
TopHammer
The last shot of each end.
TopHandle
Attached to the top of the stone. The handle allows you to control the stone as you slide out in your delivery.
TopHandle
Used to refer to the amount of rotation on a stone when it is delivered. Such as "They didn't have enough handle on that one.".
TopHard
Sweeping for maximum effectiveness. Trying to make the rock travel as far and/or straight as possible. Same meaning as "Hurry". These terms can also be combined as in "Hurry Hard!"
TopHeavy
Throwing more weight than what the skip called for.
TopHeavy Ice
Ice that requires you to throw more weight for shots than you normally would. Also called slow ice.
TopHit
A shot that is intended to contact another stone. Similar to a Takeout but a more general description of any shot where the delivered stone will make contact with another stone.
TopHit and Roll
A shot where the delivered stone is intended to remove one stone from play and then roll to a specific spot on the ice.
TopHit Weight
The weight thrown for a takeout. The normal hit weight that teams play for takeouts can vary. It is important for hit weight to be consistent within the team so it is easier for the skip to call the shots.
TopHog Line
The hog line is 21 feet from the center of each house. When delivering a rock the thrower must release the handle before the rock reaches the hog line. On the playing end if a rock does not completely cross the hog line it is removed from play.
TopHog Line Violation
Touching the handle of a stone during delivery after the leading edge of the stone reaches the hog line The penalty for a hog line violation is the loss of that shot.
TopHogged Rock
If a delivered stone does not make it completely across the far hog line it is considered hogged and removed from play. One exception is that if the delivered stone hits another stone that was in play preventing it from completely crossing the hog line the delivered stone is considered in play even though it is not completely across the hog line. Hogged rock can also refer to a stone that is removed from play due to a hog line violation by the person delivering the stone.
TopHouse
The scoring area of the sheet. The house is a circle with a 6 foot radius that is centered on the tee or pin. The house usually has concentric circles of 4, 8, and 12 feet diameter to help gauge which stones are closer to the tee.
TopHurry
Sweeping for maximum effectiveness. Trying to make the rock travel as far and/or straight as possible. Same meaning as "Hard". These terms can also be combined as in "Hurry Hard!"
TopIce
The playing surface for a curling game.
TopIcemaker
The person in charge of maintaining the ice. They are responsible for scrapping, pebbling, and maintaining the proper ice and ambient air conditions that are necessary for good curling ice.
TopIn-off
Using a stone to redirect the delivered stone onto an otherwise inaccessible stone.
TopIn-turn
Releasing the stone with a turn of the wrist that tends to bring the elbow in towards the body. This turns the stone clockwise for a right handed curler and counter-clockwise for a left handed curler.
TopInsert
A disk of granite that is inserted into a stone to be used as the running surface. Inserts allow the granite best suited to be used for the running surface of a stone to be paired up with the granite best suited for impact.
TopInside
Sliding off the intended line of delivery in a direction closer to the intended destination of the shot. Same as "Narrow".
TopJam
When playing a takeout and the object stone is hit by the delivered stone but then unintentionally hits another stone and remains in play. Skips need to be aware of jam possibilities as they call the line for a takeout.
TopKeen
Ice that requires less weight than normal. The same as fast or quick ice.
TopLazy Handle
Releasing a stone with little rotation. A soft release usually results in a lazy handle.
TopLead
Lead refers to the member of a team who throws the first 2 rocks of each end for that team. The lead throws mainly guards and draws. These first 2 rocks are critical for executing the desired strategy for each end.
TopLight
Not delivering the stone with enough force to achieve the skips desired outcome.
TopLine
The path the stone is traveling on. The initial line of delivery is from the starting point of the stone in the hack to the skips brush at the far end. As the stone begins to curl down the ice the line changes. A skip might yell "Line!" to the sweepers indicating that the stone needs to be swept to hold the line or prevent the rock from curling more.
TopLittle Rocks
Lighter weight curling stones used by children to begin learning the game. Little rocks can be the same size as standard stones or they can be smaller.
TopLosing the Handle
When a delivered stone begins with rotation but then as it moves down the ice the rotation slows down or stops. This could happen because of the ice conditions or from the stone hitting a piece of debris on the ice.
TopLSFE
Last Stone First End. This acronym is commonly used to indicate which team started the game with the hammer. After the first end the team with the hammer can be determined by the score in the previous end.
TopLying
Referring to which team is count and how many counters they have. When a team is "lying 3" it means they have 3 stones closer to the tee than the closest opponents stone.
TopMate
The person who holds the brush when it is the skips turn to throw. A synonym for "vice-skip".
TopMeasuring Stick
The device used to accurately measure how far a stone is from the pin. Modern measuring sticks may be accurate to the thousandth of an inch. Used when two or more stones are too close to call visually.
TopMixed
Curling with 2 men and 2 women on the team. Mixed Curling requires the men and women to alternate in their teams shooting order. Many countries have a Mixed National Championship, including the United States, but there is no World Championship of Mixed Curling.
TopMixed Doubles
Doubles curling where each team consists of one man and one women. There is an annual World Mixed Doubles Championship which began in 2008.
TopNarrow
Sliding off the intended line of delivery in a direction closer to the intended destination of the shot. Same as "Inside".
TopNegative Ice
When a skips brush is positioned such that the delivered stone must travel the opposite direction that it would normally curl to make the shot. If a skip is calling negative ice you might think the shot calls for an out-turn when they are actually playing an in-turn (and vice versa). Negative ice is played when there is a fall in the ice.
TopNever
An exaggerated sweep call meaning do not sweep. Contrary to the meaning of the term it is not unusual for a call of "Never" to be shortly followed up with a call of "Hard!".
TopNipper
Used to shave off the very top of the pebble before a game. This helps to condition the ice, making it more consistent at the start of a game. Freshly pebbled ice is slower then ice that has been nipped or played on.
TopNo Bounce
Commonly called out when attempting a freeze to indicate that it is better for the shooter to stop before making contact with another rock than to slightly tap another stone. Sometimes even a small tap can make a big difference in what shot may be available for your opponent.
TopNo Handle
When the delivered stone is released with no rotation. The path of a rock with no handle will be unpredictable.
TopNormal
Term used to indicate normal hit weight is required for this shot. Normal hit weight can vary between teams.
TopNose Hit
A nose hit results in the delivered stone remaining stationary after impacting a stone and the impacted stone continuing on the same path as the shooter.
TopNumber System
A system developed to help communicate where the stone is expected to stop. The most common system uses the numbers 1-10 with 1, 2, 3 being guards, 4 is top 12, 5 is top 8, 6 is top 4, 7 is the tee line, 8 is back 4, 9 is back 8 and 10 is the back 12. The sweepers call out the number of where they think the stone will stop. This helps the skip determine if the shot needs to be swept for line or if a plan B needs to be called.
TopOff
Stop sweeping. Some teams may continue to clean the ice when the skip calls off. Similar terms include "Right off" or "Whoa"
TopOpen
Referring to a stone that is not guarded.
TopOut of Stones
When a team does not have enough stones in play or remaining to be thrown to at least tie the game. When a team is out of stones they lose and the game is over.
TopOut-turn
Releasing the stone with a turn of the wrist that tends to bring the elbow away from the body. This turns the stone counter-clockwise for a right handed curler and clockwise for a left handed curler.
TopOutside
Sliding off the intended line of delivery in a direction further from the intended destination of the shot. Same as "Wide".
TopPaper Club
A curling club that formed but does not yet have any access to ice to curl on. Paper clubs may form so they can begin raising funds in hopes of establishing curling in their area.
TopPapered
When a rock passes by another rock so closely that it doesn't look like you could have fit a piece of paper between them.
TopPebble
Pebble refers to the tiny water droplets that cover the ice surface. Before each game the ice is pebbled by using a water canister with a specialized nozzle or pebble head that creates water droplets in the correct size and pattern. If the ice was perfectly flat (no pebble) the friction between the ice and the rocks would be so great that it would be almost impossible to get a rock to slide to the far end of the ice.
TopPeel
A shot that is intended to remove another stone and then roll out of play. Usually thrown with heavy or up weight.
TopPick
When a stone hits a piece of debris on the ice causing it to change path.
TopPin
The center of the house. If a measurement is needed the pin is the anchor point for the measuring device.
TopPlan B
Changing the desired outcome of the current shot as it travels down the ice. A Plan B is called when the skip realizes the original call is no longer possible. It is very important for the skip to look for Plan B alternatives as soon as they know the original shot will not be made. Sometimes the Plan B works out better then the original call!
TopPlaydowns
A competitive tournament leading to state, national, or world championships.
TopPort
A space between two stones that is wide enough for another stone to fit through. A narrow port has barely enough room for a stone to fit while a big or wide port has more room.
TopPromotion
To tap a stone closer to the tee. Same as a raise or tap back.
TopQuad
A takeout that removes 4 stones from play. Very rare!
TopRaise
Using the delivered stone to tap a guard into the house. Also called a promotion or tap back.
TopRaise Takeout
Using the delivered stone to hit one rock straight back into another rock.
TopReading the ice
Learning and remembering how much rocks will curl in different spots on the ice. Every sheet is different so every game one must learn how the rocks are moving on the ice for that game. For this reason it is important for the skip to watch the paths of every rock played in their game.
TopReverse Handle
When a stone begins rotating in one direction but ends up rotating in the opposite direction as it moves down the ice. Similar to losing the handle.
TopRight off
Stop sweeping.
TopRight up
Keep sweeping until the stone stops. This term can be confusing since "Right up" could be interpreted to mean lift your brush off the ice. If the skip is going to use this sweep call they should make sure the rest of their team is familiar with what they mean.
TopRings
The different size rings that make up the house. Usually painted red, white, and blue.
TopRink
A curling team. Commonly used with the skips last name as in "The Smith rink".
TopRoaring Game
A nickname given to the sport of curling. Originating from the sound the stones make when sliding down the ice (a dull roar).
TopRock
Used interchangeably with "Stone". A circular piece of polished granite with a circumference not greater than 36", height not less than 4.5" and a weight between 38-44 lbs. Only certain types of granite have the properties necessary to function as curling stones. Modern stones are now comprised of two types of granite, one for the main body of the stone and one used as an insert for the running surface of the stone.
TopRoll
Any movement of the delivered stone after impacting another stone.
TopRotation
Refers to how much the stone is spinning as it moves down the ice. 2-3 rotations is typical for most shots.
TopRub
When one stone lightly touches another stone. This term is usually used when the stone in motion is not traveling vary fast, such as when throwing a draw.
TopRunback
A raise takeout.
TopRunning Surface
The part of the curling stone that is in contact with the ice. A narrow circular band on the bottom of the stone.
TopScraper
A large blade used to shave off all the pebble leaving a completely flat ice surface. Curling clubs vary in how often they scrape their ice but at major competitions the ice is scraped in-between every game.
TopSecond
Second refers to the member of a team who throws the 3rd and 4th rocks of each end for that team. The second throws more takeouts and peels. These shots are useful for preventing your opponent from controlling the play of the end.
TopSensor Handle
Handles that incorporate sensors to determine if the stone is released before it reaches the hog line. A magnetic strip under the ice is used as a reference for the sensor to determine when the stone reaches the hog line. Capacitive sensing is used to determine when the stone is released from the hand. Sensor handles can be identified by the silver colored coating on the handle and by the LED's that turn on after the stone is delivered.
TopSheet
Each game is played on one sheet of ice. A sheet of ice for curling is approximately 150 feet long by 15 feet wide. Curling clubs typically have anywhere from 2-8 sheets of ice.
TopShoes
The main difference between curling shoes and regular athletic shoes are the bottoms. One shoe will have a flat textured rubber bottom for maximum traction on the ice while the other shoe will have a slider attached. The slider will be on the left foot for a right handed curler and the right foot for a left handed curler.
TopShooter
Used to refer to the current delivered stone. As in "Roll the shooter!" which means sweep the delivered stone after it has hit a stationary stone to make it roll as far as possible.
TopShot
Shot can be used in multiple ways. It can refer to the delivery of a stone as in "Whose shot is it?","It's your shot", or "Nice shot!". It can also be used as in "Who's shot?" asking which team has the rock that is closest to the center of the house.
TopShot Rock
The rock that is closest to the center of the house.
TopSide Line
The out of bounds line on each side of a sheet. As soon as the edge of a stone touches the side line it is out of play. Some sheets may have a physical barrier instead of a line in the ice.
TopSilver Broom
The name given to the annual World Curling Championships from 1968-1985.
TopSkip
The skip calls the shots of the game. The skip stands at the playing end of the ice and holds their brush as a target for the person who is delivering the rock. The skip commonly throws the last two rocks for their team each end but can throw lead, second, or third rocks. The skip needs to know the strategy of the game and needs to be able to read the ice.
TopSlide
When delivering a stone you push out from the hack and slide towards the skips brush. The goal of the slide is to get the stone and your body sliding in a straight line from the center of the hack to the skips brush.
TopSlider
The material on the bottom of one shoe that allows the curler to slide on the ice with very little friction. Commonly made from hard plastic or steel.
TopSoft Release
Releasing the stone with almost no rotation of the hand and fingers. This results in a stone with very little spin or handle. A stone with little spin may curl too much or might lose it's handle.
TopSpiel
Short for Bonspiel. A curling event normally played over a weekend.
TopSpinner
A stone thrown with an unusually high number of rotations which actually causes the stone to curl less and travel further down the ice than a stone thrown with normal rotation. Only in rare situations is a spinner called for.
TopSpirit of Curling
The Spirit of Curling embodies the etiquette and courtesies expected to be shown by those who play the game.
TopSplit
Using the delivered stone to tap a rock that is out of the house into the house and have the shooter then roll into the house.
TopSplit the House
Two stones from one team on opposite sides of the house. This prevents your opponent from being able to make a double takeout.
TopSteal
To score in an end when your team doesn't have the hammer.
TopStone
Used interchangeably with "Rock". A circular piece of polished granite with a circumference not greater than 36", height not less than 4.5" and a weight between 38-44 lbs. Only certain types of granite have the properties necessary to function as curling stones. Modern stones are now comprised of two types of granite, one for the main body of the stone and one used as an insert for the running surface of the stone.
TopStopwatch
Commonly used to time rocks as they travel down the ice. The time it takes for a rock to travel a fixed distance of the ice gives an indication of the speed of the ice.
TopStraight Ice
Ice that doesn't curl very much. On straight ice a draw might only curl 1-2 feet.
TopStriking Band
The part of the curling stone that contacts other stones. This granite needs to be able to withstand many impacts.
TopSwingy Ice
Ice that curls a lot. On swingy ice a draw might curl 5-6 feet.
TopTakeout
A shot that is intended to remove another stone from play and have the shooter stay in play.
TopTap Back
A shot that is intended to move a stone closer to the tee line. Usually played with draw or back house weight. Also called a raise or promotion.
TopTee
The very center of the house. Also called the pin.
TopTee Line
The line perpendicular to the center line that runs through the center of the house.
TopThick
When a stone hits another stone closer to the nose than desired.
TopThin
When a stone hits another stone further away from the nose than desired.
TopThird
Third refers to the member of a team who throws the 5th and 6th rocks of each end for that team. The third may also be called the vice-skip or mate since the third will normally hold the brush at the playing end when it's the skips turn to throw.
TopTick
A shot where the delivered stone is intended to lightly hit a guard to push it close to the side of the sheet but not out of play. This shot is used when the free guard zone rule prevents a team from completely removing the stone from play.
TopTight
When the stone is delivered inside of the intended line of delivery. Usually if the skip yells "Hurry hard!!!" immediately after the stone is released the thrower was tight.
TopTime
At certain levels of competition the games will be timed. Each team starts with a set amount of time. During the game the clocks count down with only one team's clock running at a time, similar to chess clocks. If you run out of time before the delivery of your team's last stone you lose.
TopTop 12
The potion of the 12 foot circle that is in front of the tee line (closer to the hog line).
TopTop 4
The potion of the 4 foot circle that is in front of the tee line (closer to the hog line).
TopTop 8
The potion of the 8 foot circle that is in front of the tee line (closer to the hog line).
TopTop House
The potion of the house that is in front of the tee line (closer to the hog line).
TopTournament of Hearts
The name given to the annual Canadian Women's National Championship.
TopTriple
Removing 3 rocks from play with one shot.
TopUp
Stop sweeping.
TopUp Weight
A takeout played with more weight than normal. Used for peels and shots where you need to move several stones.
TopVice-Skip
The vice-skip holds the brush in the house when it is the skips turn to throw. The vice-skip normally discusses strategy more with the skip than the other two on the team. The vice-skip commonly throws the fifth and sixth rocks for the team but can throw any pair.
TopWeight
Referring to the amount of force that a stone has been thrown with. More weight makes the stone travel faster and farther.
TopWheel
A shot where the delivered stone deflects off 2 or more stones resulting in the shooter traveling back towards the delivering end. Rarely called in a game. Also called an "Around the world" shot.
TopWick
When one stone barely touches another stone. Similar to a "rub".
TopWide
Sliding off the intended line of delivery in a direction further from the intended destination of the shot. Same as "Outside".
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